1. Field of the Invention:
The apparatus of the present invention relates to clamps. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus for housing a pair of umbilical clamps, the housing having a movable blade between the clamps, so that the clamps may clamp portions of the umbilical cord and simultaneously the blade will sever the end of the cord intermediate the clamps in a single step.
2. General Background:
In the science of the delivery of babies, following the removal of the baby from the mother, it is necessary that the umbilical cord, through which the baby is receiving its blood supply and nutrients from the mother, is severed, and the loss of blood from the cord be interrupted. Therefore, in the present state of the art, this procedure is basically accomplished in three steps. First, the cord is clamped with two separate clamps, with a space between the clamps, and the third step is that the cord is then severed. Therefore, no blood is lost either from the baby nor from the mother's placenta, and the baby's cord is then permanently tied off, and the placenta is then removed from the mother to prevent any further loss of blood.
Practice has it that this obstetric procedure during the delivery of the baby is somewhat time consuming, and may be simplified. It would therefore be beneficial to the servicing physician, that following the delivery of the baby, that there be an instrument which would enable the physician to quickly clamp and cut the cord through perhaps a single step, which would eliminate any of the unnecessary steps which are now undertaken.
In addressing the question of this type, several patents have been issued, the most pertinent being as follows:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,315,679 issued to Sarracino, entitled "Umbilical Cord Clamp", simply teaches the use of a single clamp which provides jaw faces on which faces are formed complementary, serrated, angulated surfaces. A spring or the like is provided for resiliently biasing the surfaces toward one another in engagement with the umbilical stump.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,040,749 issued to Paten, entitled "Umbilical Cord Clamp", likewise provides an expendable and disposable umbilical cord clamp apparatus which has generally parallel clamping members when the clamp is closed, and has a permanently lock that can not be released following the closing of the clamp.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,307,377 issued to Riccardi, entitled "Umbilical Clip", also teaches the use of a clip which can be placed upon a pair of forceps or the like, and upon engaging the clamping member in locking the clamp in place, the forceps are removed and the clamp remains on the umbilical cord.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,626,608 issued to Garland, entitled "Clamp For Umbilical Cords Or The Like", likewise teaches the use of a clamp which can be place upon a pair of pliers and once engaged, the plyer member bend into a position that remains in the clamped position during use.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,705,586 issued to Sarracino, entitled "Umbilical Cord Clamp", addresses the use of an umbilical clamp having serrated edges that because of the edges and the inner locking of the clamp will remain in place over a period of days.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,710,766 issued to Dilworth, entitled "Umbilical Cord", relates to an umbilical clamp which is slipped onto the umbilical cord and is clamp into place while simultaneously severing the umbilical cord at the joint of clamping.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,843,652 issued to Taylor, entitled "Umbilical Cord Clamp", in which two pieces of sheet metal or pivoted on one another being held flatly in place by means of a pivotal pin. Each of the pieces of metal having a cut out which constitutes jaws of the clamp and effects closure of the cut joint opening which exists when the cut outs overlay one another.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,498,372 issued to Kortlucke, Jr., et al, entitled Clamping Device", also teaches the use of a clamp of the type that has serrated edges and closes upon the item to be clamped with it locking in place around the second end portion.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,434,831 issued to Brandenburg, entitled "Umbilical Clip And Holder For Same", teaches the use of an umbilical clip which is placed in position on a pair of forceps; after clamping takes places the forceps are removed therefrom with the clamp being maintained in the closed position.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,524,377 to Whittaker, entitled "Umbilical Clamp And Cutter", to a clamp for simultaneously clamping the umbilical at two spaced points in cutting the cord between the points.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,854,482 to Laugherty, et al, entitled "Umbilical Cord Clamp", the use of an umbilical cord clamp made of non-metallic material with a pair of elongated arms joined at a loop and a locking means on the second hand for clamp in the closed position following clamping cord.